Forget the war on Terror- It's a War on Porn

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet] Don't worry, this thread isn't explicit or anything, I just felt that it was a topic of discussion that can be safely debated here with no excplicit images.

I heard on the news recently that George Bush is planning on starting a war on porn on the computer. And it's [i] not[/i] the child porn that's he's going after. It's the adult porn.

Now, I'm not a big fan of the stuff myself. But I still figure as long as it's consensual adults and not kiddie porn just leave it be. And what ever happened to the freedom of expression?

Want to read the article I found proving that I haven't gone around the bend?

[b]FBI forms anti-porn squad
'I guess this means we've won the war on terror,' one agent says
Barton Gellman, Washington Post

Wednesday, September 21, 2005




Washington -- The FBI is joining the Bush administration's War on Porn. And it's looking for a few good agents.

Last month, the bureau's Washington Field Office began recruiting for a new anti-obscenity squad. Attached to the job posting was a memo from FBI headquarters to all 56 field offices, describing the initiative as "one of the top priorities" of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and, by extension, of "the Director," Robert Mueller.

The new squad will divert eight agents, a supervisor and assorted support staff to gather evidence against "manufacturers and purveyors" of pornography -- not the kind exploiting children, but the kind that depicts, and is marketed to, consenting adults.

"I guess this means we've won the war on terror," said one exasperated FBI agent, speaking on condition of anonymity because poking fun at headquarters is not regarded as career-enhancing. "We must not need any more resources for espionage."

Among friends and trusted colleagues, an experienced national security analyst said, "it's a running joke for us."

A few of the printable samples:

"Things I Don't Want On My Resume, Volume Four."

"I already gave at home."

"Honestly, most of the guys would have to recuse themselves."

Federal obscenity prosecutions, which have been out of style since Attorney General Edwin Meese in the Reagan administration made pornography a signature issue in the 1980s, do "encounter many legal issues, including First Amendment claims," the FBI headquarters memo noted.

Applicants for the porn squad should therefore have a stomach for the kind of material that tends to be most offensive to local juries. Community standards -- along with a prurient purpose and absence of artistic merit -- define criminal obscenity under current Supreme Court doctrine.

"Based on a review of past successful cases," the memo said, the best odds of conviction come with pornography that "includes bestiality, urination, defecation, as well as sadistic and masochistic behavior." No word on the universe of other kinks that helps make porn a multibillion-dollar industry.

Popular acceptance of hard-core pornography has come a long way, with some of its stars becoming mainstream celebrities and their products -- once confined to seedy shops and theaters -- being "purveyed" by upscale hotels and most home cable and satellite television systems. Explicit sexual entertainment is a profit center for companies, including General Motors Corp. and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (the two major owners of DirecTV), Time Warner Inc. and the Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt hotel chains.

But Gonzales endorses the rationale of predecessor Meese: that adult pornography is a threat to families and children. Christian conservatives, long skeptical of Gonzales, greeted the pornography initiative with what the Family Research Council called "a growing sense of confidence in our new attorney general."

Congress began funding the obscenity initiative in fiscal 2005 and specified that the FBI must devote 10 agents to adult pornography. The bureau decided to create a dedicated squad only in the Washington Field Office. "All other field offices may investigate obscenity cases pursuant to this initiative if resources are available," the directive from headquarters said. "Field offices should not, however, divert resources from higher priority matters, such as public corruption."

Public corruption, officially, is fourth on the FBI's priority list, after protecting the United States from terrorist attacks, foreign espionage and cyber-based attacks. Just below those priorities are civil rights, organized crime, white-collar crime and "significant violent crime." The guidance from headquarters does not mention where pornography fits in.[/b]

And you know what? I looked at the date on the article- it [i]wasn't[/i] April First. These people are serious! My god what's next, the war on swearing?

Share your comments. And please no explicit links[/color]

[Morpheus]

Come on Meg, could you think of a better way for our government to spend borrowed money than fighting something that is completely legal? I sure can't.

Seriously, I can't think of a more ironic thing than men that aren't getting any period biting the hand (no pun intended) that keeps them going day after day.
[SIZE=3]
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[QUOTE][QUOTE]Congress began funding the obscenity initiative in fiscal 2005 and specified that the FBI must devote 10 agents to adult pornography.[/QUOTE]
Dare I say it?... Those lucky dogs.[/QUOTE]
I can see it now:

Agent 1: I've got five playboys under the bed. We'll have to confiscate them.
Agent 2: By the way, do you have a bathroom?
Agent 1: Do you have 2 bathrooms?
Kid: Just one down the hall.
Agent 2: This is going to be very awkward.

[Delta]

[COLOR=#959478][SIZE=1][QUOTE][color=darkviolet]Congress began funding the obscenity initiative in fiscal 2005 and specified that the FBI must devote 10 agents to adult pornography.[/color][/QUOTE]Dare I say it?... [b]Those lucky dogs.[/b]

So it seems that Bush's to-do list is littered with entries like "War on " Oh wait. Perhaps the Bush administration/FBI released such a statement to give you guys something to laugh at, with all these calls for rehabilitation of those hit by the recent hurricanes.

"War on Porn." Oooh. Scary.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[lumpy3922]

Why is he wasting time with porn, theirs more important things to be spending our money on. Like the hurricane victoms......I think theirs WAY more improtant then porn. What is wrong with this man....really now. Really think anout this, he's to be wasting time and money that could be going to help all those victoms. But instead the ahole is going to fight porn. Why can't he just leave it be. I mean it's not like I'm all for porn and stuff, but. It's not that big of a deal, I'm sure when he was a kid he looked at porn. Theirs just so many things that are way more important then porn. God I dislike Bush. But anyways, this is far from wrong. I can't beleive that he wants to do this, porn isn't hurting anyone. I don't see it going to towns and killing people and distroying homes. Bush needs to wake up and look around and see that he's a stupid ahole. PORN ISN"T IMPORTANT!!!!!!!

[Guest tasu22889]

[QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet] Don't worry, this thread isn't explicit or anything, I just felt that it was a topic of discussion that can be safely debated here with no excplicit images.

I heard on the news recently that George Bush is planning on starting a war on porn on the computer. And it's [i] not[/i] the child porn that's he's going after. It's the adult porn.

Now, I'm not a big fan of the stuff myself. But I still figure as long as it's consensual adults and not kiddie porn just leave it be. And what ever happened to the freedom of expression?

Want to read the article I found proving that I haven't gone around the bend?

[b]FBI forms anti-porn squad
'I guess this means we've won the war on terror,' one agent says
Barton Gellman, Washington Post

Wednesday, September 21, 2005




Washington -- The FBI is joining the Bush administration's War on Porn. And it's looking for a few good agents.

Last month, the bureau's Washington Field Office began recruiting for a new anti-obscenity squad. Attached to the job posting was a memo from FBI headquarters to all 56 field offices, describing the initiative as "one of the top priorities" of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and, by extension, of "the Director," Robert Mueller.

The new squad will divert eight agents, a supervisor and assorted support staff to gather evidence against "manufacturers and purveyors" of pornography -- not the kind exploiting children, but the kind that depicts, and is marketed to, consenting adults.

"I guess this means we've won the war on terror," said one exasperated FBI agent, speaking on condition of anonymity because poking fun at headquarters is not regarded as career-enhancing. "We must not need any more resources for espionage."

Among friends and trusted colleagues, an experienced national security analyst said, "it's a running joke for us."

A few of the printable samples:

"Things I Don't Want On My Resume, Volume Four."

"I already gave at home."

"Honestly, most of the guys would have to recuse themselves."

Federal obscenity prosecutions, which have been out of style since Attorney General Edwin Meese in the Reagan administration made pornography a signature issue in the 1980s, do "encounter many legal issues, including First Amendment claims," the FBI headquarters memo noted.

Applicants for the porn squad should therefore have a stomach for the kind of material that tends to be most offensive to local juries. Community standards -- along with a prurient purpose and absence of artistic merit -- define criminal obscenity under current Supreme Court doctrine.

"Based on a review of past successful cases," the memo said, the best odds of conviction come with pornography that "includes bestiality, urination, defecation, as well as sadistic and masochistic behavior." No word on the universe of other kinks that helps make porn a multibillion-dollar industry.

Popular acceptance of hard-core pornography has come a long way, with some of its stars becoming mainstream celebrities and their products -- once confined to seedy shops and theaters -- being "purveyed" by upscale hotels and most home cable and satellite television systems. Explicit sexual entertainment is a profit center for companies, including General Motors Corp. and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (the two major owners of DirecTV), Time Warner Inc. and the Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt hotel chains.

But Gonzales endorses the rationale of predecessor Meese: that adult pornography is a threat to families and children. Christian conservatives, long skeptical of Gonzales, greeted the pornography initiative with what the Family Research Council called "a growing sense of confidence in our new attorney general."

Congress began funding the obscenity initiative in fiscal 2005 and specified that the FBI must devote 10 agents to adult pornography. The bureau decided to create a dedicated squad only in the Washington Field Office. "All other field offices may investigate obscenity cases pursuant to this initiative if resources are available," the directive from headquarters said. "Field offices should not, however, divert resources from higher priority matters, such as public corruption."

Public corruption, officially, is fourth on the FBI's priority list, after protecting the United States from terrorist attacks, foreign espionage and cyber-based attacks. Just below those priorities are civil rights, organized crime, white-collar crime and "significant violent crime." The guidance from headquarters does not mention where pornography fits in.[/b]

And you know what? I looked at the date on the article- it [i]wasn't[/i] April First. These people are serious! My god what's next, the war on swearing?

Share your comments. And please no explicit links[/color][/QUOTE]I'm someone of morals,so I dont liek smut its stupid to degrade people in natures reproductive acts.its making it bad,its something to be done behind closed doors,with people we love,not those we jsut want to feel up and see how it feels with them.

[Sandy]

I think you're missing the point here, tasu.

Despite your morals, do you really want your government to waste money on such trivial things when your country is at war and hurricanes are breaking havoc there? Not to mention the continuous economic problems and the widening of the gap between social classes and races?

With so many problems abrewing in your country, I honestly think legal pornography containing sensical adults is the least of your problems.

If you don't like it, don't watch it - simple answer, and that much money saved. ;P

[Decadence]

[COLOR=DimGray]The war on porn. That brings to mind, images of soldiers occupying porn studios and peoples home computers, I mean if they can censor porn, whats to keep them from censoring dissenting oppinions, and then other relegions. Its just a downward spiral starting at something pretty low on the moral scale to some people. [/COLOR]

[Guest tasu22889]

[QUOTE=Sage]I think you're missing the point here, tasu.

Despite your morals, do you really want your government to waste money on such trivial things when your country is at war and hurricanes are breaking havoc there? Not to mention the continuous economic problems and the widening of the gap between social classes and races?

With so many problems abrewing in your country, I honestly think legal pornography containing sensical adults is the least of your problems.

If you don't like it, don't watch it - simple answer, and that much money saved. ;P[/QUOTE]
exactly,they should quit wackin and start running our country the right way(pardon my language)

[Godelsensei]

[quote name='Decadence][COLOR=DimGray']The war on porn. That brings to mind, images of soldiers occupying porn studios and peoples home computers, I mean if they can censor porn, whats to keep them from censoring dissenting oppinions, and then other relegions. Its just a downward spiral starting at something pretty low on the moral scale to some people. [/COLOR][/quote]

Did somebody say, "China?"

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

I really had to sigh as I read Chibi's first post, it really does amaze me how President Bush is willing to make himself appear an utter jackass in front of most people in order to appease his Neo-Conservative supporters. I mean it is completely baffling that he is willing to pursue an agenda such as this when the finances that this "project" will require could be far better spent on other more necessary endeavours. While personally I don't agree with the idea of pornography, it's not as if they drag women off the streets, rape them and video it for all to see, nor it is the case that the TV networks force people to view the finished material.

With the destruction wrought by the recent hurricanes, as well as the fact that more hurricanes are forecast to occur before the end of the year, it would seem that the fund this idiotic endeavour will consume would be far better spend helping the victims. Or the case could the made that if President Bush wants to spend this money in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, he might as well expand the current task force on those who peddle child-pornography, rather than go after relatively harmless studios who produce a form of legal and dare I say normal erotic entertainment.[/SIZE]

[Lafleur]

[COLOR=DarkRed]This is one of those 'Hate to say I toldya so...' moments.

Really, this is getting insane. Why is it that puritans feel they have a right to ruin everyone's fun? I mean comon, if there is no longer any porn, what will happen to all the losers and pre-pubesent boys out there? This is immoral and cruel!

Besides that, it's also stupid. What does this Administration do when it gets up in the morning? I can see a morning in the Presidential household:

Cheney: Oh look George, hurricane Rita is barelling down on the Gulf of Mexico. This is a disaster, George, I think we should do somthing!

Bush: Mmmm... nah. I need to invade somthing. Somthing I'm familiar with - somthing that's name I can pronounce... or locate on the internet.

Cheney: Iran?

Bush: I already invaded that, Dick!

Cheney: Oh ya, I frogot. Canada?

Bush: Nah. I can't lives without my maple syrup, and I don't think they'd want to sell it to us if we invaded em. I've got it Dick! Porn! I can pronounce that, locate it on the internet - I've even spent nights with it!

Cheney: Brilliance!

My conclusion? Somthing is wrong with this world if a hurricane is about to kill thousands, and the first thing that you do is declare war on Pornopia.[/COLOR]

[Aaryanna]

I swear, sometimes I have to wonder just what is between President Bush?s ears. I?m beginning to think that it?s just hot air. *sigh* Sure I think Porn isn?t a great thing, but why are they trying to get rid of something that in many respects really isn?t an issue?

I could understand if they were trying to get rid of the porn involving people who aren?t old enough, but for consenting adults? It?s just plain stupid! There are so many other things that are far more important, like the economy and the people who are so poor they can barely feed themselves. Or how about the problems caused by the recent hurricanes?

If they really want to get rid of offensive movies, then how about going after broadcasting channels that are showing stuff on TV that only five years ago you would have never seen unless you went to a rated R movie? Seriously I could easily find lots of things that would be a better cause than to attempting to control adult films.

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]Well, I have to say that I'm impressed with the post quality. There hasn't been anything too immature yet.

I keep wondering what crazy thing Bush can come up withe to censor next, first birthcontrol, now porn. What's next magazine articles about birthcontrol and porn? Websites that have threads about birth control and porn? The list goes on.

I will say that I am the worst person to watch porn with (I do a running commentary), but I wouldn't mind getting that job with the FBI- I can see it all now:

supervisor: Donnelly I want you to look at these sites *hands me a list*

Me: Sure :rolleyes:

A few minutes later: God he's ugly, I wonder how drunk they got her.... Ooh her's are so fake!

supervisor: So you found the porn?

Me: :animeswea Yeah, I think so- I think these people should sue their hair stylists.

I wonder how much they pay.[/color]

[IceWolfEyes]

The first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about a war on porn is: How they can be arrogant enough to think they can stop it?

Are they going to shut down every site on the internet (not only locally, but globally) that contains adults going at it? If they choose to go global, how in the hell are they going to convince other countries to share their point of view? Are they going to only target videos of sex, or are they going to go through the entire spectrum...sexy pictures, stories involving explicit sex, and (but not limited to) distributors of sexual material? And if it is only consensual sex they plan on banning, what about the rest of the smut around (animals, kids, etc)?

Yeah, something tells me this is going to be about as effective as the alcohol ban.

Is the government simply looking for ways to waste money? Cus I've got a few ideas that would probably leave the general public a LOT happier then this bullcrap is going to.

[Ikillion]

[COLOR=DarkSlateGray] :animesigh This is starting to make me thing about the Yahoo pornagraphic lawsuit all over again.

Well basicly I consider this to be a major jump from the whole "Sex in Videogames" discussion to make an organization to fight something. That is freaking legal! If they were that worried about it then they should have made it law against it. Like I have herd so many times. " People shouldent have to suffer, because of some other parents fault for not watching there kid." If I were to say Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, and "Hot Coffee" ...Do I need to say anything else?

Then the other side of the regular adults who {Edits out the bad parts} for those reasons. They might go off saying " Well hey its not my fault some kids parents couldent keep control of his/her son from watching porn, why should I suffer?" Soon we are going to get cought in a constant bickering between two sides about a topic that has gotten to big to be able to please one side without hurting the other.

So basicly in my finall insight on the topic. This is one problem that has just basicly gotten to big. I mean when the President thinks that the issue is that badly out of hand and makes a seperate unit to take out a problem. This is just one thing that is to out of control already for anyone to even handle anymore. As much as something should be done about this. What is there that cant be done without hurting a majority of the other side?[/COLOR]

[Harry]

[QUOTE=Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed]
My conclusion? Somthing is wrong with this world if a hurricane is about to kill thousands, and the first thing that you do is declare war on Pornopia.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]
Exaggerate much?

Anyway this will most likely just die out after a few months. The department itself is a complete joke within the agency, and most likely nothing will ever come from it. What the FBI really needs to focus on is taking down the two ArchDukes of hell known as Tom DeLay and Karl Rove.

[Circ]

[quote name='Harry']Anyway this will most likely just die out after a few months. The department itself is a complete joke within the agency, and most likely nothing will ever come from it. What the FBI really needs to focus on is taking down the two ArchDukes of hell known as Tom DeLay and Karl Rove.[/quote]

I bet you that'll be like those who ended up sued on the issue of music rights.

As for my personal opinions, I happen to have [I]just[/I] read a magnificent rant that sums it up better than I could ever even hope too. A great read.

[I]As per Indifference's suggestion: do not read if you are easily offended by swearing.[/I]

[url]http://www.livejournal.com/users/evilgmbethy/172196.html[/url]

[Tatsubei Yagyu]

[COLOR=Red][FONT=Comic Sans MS]...No way...

I laughed when I first read the topic, cuz I though it was a joke...

I can't believe he would actually try to stop porn... Hey, while you're at it Bush, while don't you take a break to, you know, fix problems like the damage done by the hurricane inbetween your domiation of the Pornographic world.

*Sigh* :animesigh

Jack***. :o [/FONT][/COLOR]

[Horendithas]

I am not surprised that Bush thinks a war on Porn is a good idea. After all, why choose to spend the nation?s money on a real problem when you can go after something that in my opinion is not a problem. Unless you are talking about getting rid of Porn that involved people who are not old enough, I have no problem with money being spent to protect children.

But to attempt to control what adults like to watch just because it does not fit in with their narrow-minded views is sheer stupidity. I just can?t agree with it as there are so many real problems that need the money. Like victims of the recent hurricanes and homeland security and crime, additional funds are desperately needed for these issues. Porn has been around for centuries and it?s not likely to change. And with today?s technology any adults can simply make their own videos if they wanted to.

I will never understand why Bush seems to be so fond of attempting to force his own moral values on others. I personally think that whether or not people make or watch Porn is their choice. So long as they are adults that is.

[QUOTE=Circéus]I bet you that'll be like those who ended up sued on the issue of music rights.

As for my personal opinions, I happen to have [I]just[/I] read a magnificent rant that sums it up better than I could ever even hope too. A great read.

[url]http://www.livejournal.com/users/evilgmbethy/172196.html[/url][/QUOTE]

That is a very nice rant. Though I think a warning in your post that it contains swearing would have been a good idea.

[Tatsubei Yagyu]

[COLOR=Navy][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Yeah, I argee porn involving minors is wrong and all. But DAMN! How's he gonna stop that let alone normal porn. It's like trying to destroy all evil in the world, it's just not gonna happen. Sure it's a nice thing to reach for, but no one's arms are long enough to actually poke it.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]I would just like to point out to everyone that this is what happens to people who get drunk in college instead of sitting in their dorm rooms watching porn! It's people like this who start trying to ban porn because they didn't reap the benifits when they had the chance.

That said if Bush was trying to have a battle against [i][b]child[/i][/b] porn I'd be all for it. Child pornography is bad and enethical and amoral and a bunch of other negative conotations that I don't care to look up. But adult porn where the people are sitting in a crappy set getting it on who really cares? Just because Bush isn't getting any doesn't mean he has to crack down on people who are paid to get laid.

Maybe he should consider another hobby like I don't know, Tax cuts for the lower and middle class? Or working harder to find Bin Laden. Hell taking up knitting sweaters for his dogs would be more productive than a war on adult porn!

Let's just hope this doesn't take off because I still have more porn to comment on.[/color]

[Lafleur]

[QUOTE]
I will never understand why Bush seems to be so fond of attempting to force his own moral values on others.[/QUOTE][COLOR=DarkRed]

It's because he's a Puritan. If your not familiar with the term, these are uber-extremist Christians (Although I don't think the term is soley a Christian one, but for the sake of arguement...) who's one and only mission in life is to rain on everyones good time. These are the guys who, in the Shakespearian era, wanted to outlaw Shakespear, the Globe, acting in general, all forms of what they considered 'sin' (e.g fun stuff). And they damn nearly succeeded too. [/COLOR]

[Morpheus]

[quote name='Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed']It's because he's a Puritan. If your not familiar with the term, these are uber-extremist Christians (Although I don't think the term is soley a Christian one, but for the sake of arguement...) who's one and only mission in life is to rain on everyones good time. These are the guys who, in the Shakespearian era, wanted to outlaw Shakespear, the Globe, acting in general, all forms of what they considered 'sin' (e.g fun stuff). And they damn nearly succeeded too. [/COLOR][/quote]
The horrible, sad truth is that Ilium has not exagerated at all. To a puritan/calvinist/Huguenot pleasure of any kind is a sin. Thankfully James I drove them out.

[Decadence]

[color=dimgrey]Just something I thought of, some one really needs to tell Bush (I refuse too see him as my president, not my fault 51% chose wrong) to "stop trying to save my soul for me, I'll either save it my self, or laugh all the way down to hell."[/color]

[AnimeFront]

[quote name='Decadence][color=dimgrey'] I'll either save it my self, or laugh all the way down to hell."[/color][/quote]
Thats the spirit.
Seriously I have been seeing this coming forever. The christian right (different than republicans) wants everybody to be a "traditional" religon. Porn to them is a secular subject that needs to be banned. The funny thing is their is religous porn (catholic schoolgirls). The next thing that will come is the "Bush Inquisition", and then all secularist, athiest and new religonist will get hounded by conversionist.. This is a sad day. When will Bush learn there is a difference betweeen church and goverment. I want to see them try and conve t me, ha.